Buckthorn was originally introduced into Minnesota in the late 1800s for residential landscaping purposes. It quickly escaped and began to dominate woodlands, roadside ditches, and fence lines. Buckthorn has a competitive edge over native vegetation due to its ability to monopolize sunlight and soil nutrients. Due to these traits, the presence of buckthorn threatens the ecological stability of indigenous plant communities.

Refuge staff and volunteers are able to treat buckthorn year round with the exception of early spring when the plants draw nutrients stored in its roots. Treatment consists of cutting the buckthorn at ground level followed by the application of Roundup on the exposed stumps. The trunks and branches of the buckthorn are tightly stacked and burned the following winter. The newly exposed understory is then threatened by periodical prescribed burns to prevent buckthorn reinvasion. In 2003 and 2004, buckthorn will have been removed from nearly 1,000 acres of Refuge lands.

-Jennifer Stifter, Intern, Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge